Monroe County, FL Sign Regulations: Freeway-Facing Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Largest bracket
- 301+ ft of U.S. 1 frontage: 200 sq ft per face
- Smallest bracket
- 1-150 ft of U.S. 1 frontage: 75 sq ft per face
- Height cap
- 24 feet for a ground-mounted sign
- Non-U.S. 1 roads
- Capped lower, 40 to 80 sq ft per face
- Corner lots
- Up to 1.5x the single-frontage allowance
Summary
The Florida Keys have no interstate freeway, so Monroe County's largest ground-mounted commercial signs are keyed to frontage on U.S. 1, the Overseas Highway. Land Development Code Section 142-8(c)(1)a sets a sliding scale by linear feet of U.S. 1 frontage, from 75 square feet per face on short lots up to 200 square feet per face and 400 square feet total on parcels with more than 301 feet of highway frontage.
a.One illuminated or non-illuminated, ground-mounted sign of a height not more than 24 feet shall be allowed for each frontage as indicated in the following table: ... Street Frontage (linear feet) Maximum Area Per Face (square feet) Total Face Area (square feet) Frontage on U.S. 1 or a frontage road adjacent to U.S. 1: 1 ft. to 150 ft. 75 sq. ft. 150 sq. ft. 151 ft. to 300 ft 100 sq. ft. 200 sq. ft. Over 301 ft. or more 200 sq. ft. 400 sq. ft.
Full Breakdown
S. 1, the Overseas Highway, and any frontage road adjacent to it. Section 142-8(c)(1)a sets a table titled Permitted Size of Nonresidential Signs per Property Frontage that ties a single ground-mounted sign's maximum area to how much street frontage a commercial parcel has. S. 1 or an adjacent frontage road, a parcel with 1 to 150 feet of frontage may erect a sign up to 75 square feet per face and 150 square feet total face area; a parcel with 151 to 300 feet of frontage may go up to 100 square feet per face and 200 square feet total; and a parcel with more than 301 feet of frontage may reach 200 square feet per face and 400 square feet total.
S. 1 allowances run roughly double the limits set for frontage on county roads, shorelines or runways in the same table, which cap out at 80 square feet per face and 160 square feet total even on the largest lots. 5 times the single-frontage allowance. Every sign under this table still requires a building permit and must comply with the general provisions of Section 142-6, including Florida Building Code structural standards and, for larger signs, engineering review.
Violations & Fines
Erecting an oversized U.S. 1 frontage sign without the matching permit, or beyond the square footage the frontage table allows, is enforced under Chapter 8 of the county code. A code compliance officer can cite the sign owner or property owner, and the code compliance special magistrate may impose fines of up to $1,000 per day for a first violation and up to $5,000 per day for a repeat violation until the sign is brought into compliance or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big a sign can a business put up along U.S. 1 in the unincorporated Keys?
Are sign limits different on non-U.S. 1 roads?
Can a corner lot combine both street frontages for a bigger sign?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monroe County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Monroe County to another location·View the Florida sign regulations overview
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